NFL Rumors: Jets Wanted Mike Vrabel 'Bad,' Made 'Late Push' Before Patriots Contract

The New England Patriots have reportedly hired Mike Vrabel to be the team's next head coach, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, though they weren't the only organization in hot pursuit of the former Tennessee Titans' head honcho.

According to Connor Hughes of SNY, the New York Jets made a concerted effort to bring him aboard as well:

Vrabel, 49, interviewed with the Jets earlier in the process, though whether he had any actual intentions of potentially taking that job is unclear. He and the Patriots seemed destined to end up together:

His hiring now leaves five head-coaching vacancies around the NFL, as the Jets, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars. The Dallas Cowboys could also becoming a sixth team without a head coach, though it appears the team is leaning towards bringing Mike McCarthy back on a new contract

Of those openings, the Jets are hardly the most appealing. While the team undoubtedly has some young and veteran talent in place, there are major question marks at quarterback, where Aaron Rodgers' future is unclear. And even if he does return, it would come at a major cost to the team's salary cap situation in the years to come.

The Jets also reportedly have something of a dysfunctional culture under team owner Woody Johnson, according to a scathing report released by The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver in December. That can't be the most ideal environment to walk into for a prospective coaching hire.

The Patriots, meanwhile, have floundered in a post-Tom Brady world, and owner Robert Kraft didn't exactly nail the replacement for the legendary Bill Belichick last offseason when hiring Jerod Mayo. But the organization also has the legacy of winning six Super Bowls—Vrabel played on three of those teams—and an appealing young quarterback in Drake Maye.

Those factors, coupled with Vrabel's familiarity with Kraft and the Patriots, surely played a role in him landing the job over other interested suitors like the Jets. Now, it's on to plan B for New York, which reportedly has also interviewed Steve Spagnuolo, Mike Locksley, Ron Rivera, Rex Ryan, Darren Rizzi, Matt Nagy and Aaron Glenn for its head-coaching vacancy.